The present invention relates generally to luminaires which are controlled by light sensitive devices and more particularly to an assembly for a method of overriding the operation of such a device to turn off the luminaire for a predetermined period of time during the night in order to conserve energy.
Many outdoor luminaires, particularly street lights, are automatically turned on and off by a light sensitive device responsive to the level of natural light in the immediate area. As a result, at night when it gets dark, the lights automatically come on and stay on until morning when they are automatically turned off. In many situations, it is not necessary to maintain a high degree of illumination throughout the entire dark hours of the night. As will be seen hereinafter, the present invention recognizes this and provides a specific means for and method of overriding the light sensitive device associated with a given luminaire for turning the latter off for a predetermined period of time during the night, specifically during a period when a high level of illumination is not required, thereby conserving energy.